


Adrinette April 2020

by Nymphadora88



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Adrinette April 2020, Dorks in Love, F/M, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23441038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nymphadora88/pseuds/Nymphadora88
Summary: Interconnected oneshots dedicated to our favorite cinnamon rolls. Happy Adrinette April, everyone! ❤️
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant
Comments: 13
Kudos: 45





	1. Pranks

Pranks 

April 1st saw Adrien and Marinette avoiding all unnecessary contact with each other. Given all the practical jokes being played around them, it was really no surprise. It was still something of a sore subject between them, after the wax museum debacle. Both seemed to go out of their way to be sure that the other would not suspect them of planning anything. For that matter, Adrien was careful to keep a subtle eye on anyone who attempted to interact with Marinette. Knowing how much she didn't enjoy pranks, he felt it was his duty as her friend to protect her from anyone else's misguided attempts at humor. He did this as discreetly as possible, since he was trying to keep his distance.

By lunch, Adrien had successfully subverted several attempts to prank Marinette. Alix had swapped out her collection of fashion magazines with a handful of publications of a somewhat more... provocative nature. Adrien had waited for Marinette to leave to use the bathroom before transferring the offending items to his own bag. This had earned him a pencil to the back of the head, courtesy of a very annoyed Alix.

In their second class of the day, Chloé had intentionally knocked into Marinette, spilling her books onto the floor. In the chaos, she slipped a trick pen onto Mari's desk after she had bent to retrieve her things. As soon as she was settled, Adrien shoved his own pen onto his pocket and turned to Marinette with his best sheepish expression. 

"Hey, Mari. Can I borrow that pen? I must have lost mine somewhere." He hoped that no one called him out, as it was common knowledge that Adrien Agreste was overly prepared for everything. He, in fact, had six more pens, three pencils, and two Sharpies in his bag. 

"Oh...o-of course you can, Adrien. It's actually not even mine. I'm not sure how it got here." Adrien smiled gratefully, taking what could easily be a bomb, knowing Chloé. He caught Nino's wide-eyed, silent warning out of the corner of his eye. With the tiniest, slightest of nods, he took a breath, and pressed the pen to the sheet of notebook paper in front of him. Immediately, a stream of blue ink sprayed up into his face. It dripped down onto his shirt, and he suspected that he might have a decent amount in his hair. Nathalie would be thrilled, of course, but it was completely worth it. Especially when he heard Marinette's horrified gasp, followed by Alya's reassuring whisper.

"Girl. He totally just took that hit for you. He saw Chloé put the pen down on your desk. He may call you our Everyday Ladybug, but I think we just found your Chat Noir." Something in Adrien's chest warmed at her words. Even if she was much closer to the mark than she realized, he had to admit that protecting Marinette felt almost as good as protecting Ladybug. As an added bonus, he didn't have to be turned into a bad-touch zombie by his English teacher and her minions or used as a human kite frame to do it. A little ink was a small price to pay.

Chloé, for her part, had run over in a panic. She was dabbing him frantically with a make-up remover wipe, yelling insults at the ink-free, unpranked girl behind him. 

He shouldn't have done what he did next. It was the low road, and he knew it. However, saving Marinette had become something of a habit lately, and he wasn't sure he'd be ready to stop anytime soon. So, with a decidedly Chat-like grin, Adrien angled the pen away from himself, and touched it to the paper again, coating Chloe's stupidly expensive sweater in what was likely permanent ink. He might have felt bad, if it hadn't been for the slack-jawed, shocked grin that transformed Marinette's face into something new and beautiful. 

Yep. Worth it.


	2. #marinettechallenge

#marinettechallenge

It had been Alya's idea. After Marinette had racked up her forty-fifth tardy in first period, she had issued a challenge to the entire class: take a selfie in the classroom with Marinette no later than five minutes before first bell. It was well-intentioned, and Adrien couldn't help but enjoy the shenanigans that ensued. Several people had tried already, with limited success. 

Kim had come the closest so far, having walked straight into the bakery, up the stairs, and into a still-sleeping Marinette's room. Five minutes later, he had arrived in Miss Bustier's classroom with a very angry, pajama-clad class rep tossed casually over his shoulder. Unfortunately, this had earned him an accidental black eye due to her flailing, and he hadn't managed to post a picture until one minute before class began.

Adrien had had reservations about participating in the challenge, due to his consistently precarious relationship with its subject, but he did like the idea of helping his friend improve her attendance record. It would take some planning, though. She did not take well to being pushed too hard. This was a fact Kim was coming to terms with, as the tiny girl slapped the back of his head, yelling something about putting itching powder in his swimming trunks. 

Adrien decided that a gentler approach would likely be more successful. He briefly considered bribery. Marinette loved fashion. He happened to have access to hoards of unused designer merchandise. It was an idea…  
But, no. As the scenario played out in his head, he realized that Marinette was not likely shallow enough to be lured out by an expensive sweater. She might even be offended if it looked like he thought she would be. He also wasn't sure she would even respond to Adrien's attempt. However, she might wake up if a different-or rather, dif-fur-ent friend gave it a shot…  
…..

After careful planning, Adrien decided that Chat showing up to take her to school would be too obvious. He eventually concluded that this would require both of his identities to be truly effective. It would also require a certain amount of stealth, secrecy, and a sprinkling of trickery. All-in-all, it sounded like a great time.

This is how Adrien Agreste found himself clad in a magical leather catsuit, perched on Marinette Dupain-Cheng's balcony, clutching a duffel bag full of supplies. He peered cautiously through the window in her trapdoor, relieved to find that she was fully dressed, with a large roll of paper spread out on her bedroom floor. Claw hovering above the glass, he hesitated. He found himself unwilling to disturb her, so he watched her work for a moment. 

Marinette wore an expression of intense concentration, her tongue poking out of the side of her mouth slightly as she measured and traced steady lines onto the paper. Cat that he was, it wasn't long before curiosity got the better of him. He waited for her to put her pencil down, then tapped lightly on the glass. She jumped slightly, but recovered quickly, smiling widely when she saw him. It warmed something in Adrien's heart that she was so happy to spend time with him...one part of him, at least.

As Marinette climbed through the hatch, Chat felt himself start to get a little nervous. She had a way of disarming him when they were like this. When he was Adrien, she never let him see this side of her. There was her characteristic kindness, but there was also a confidence, a playfulness that Adrien hadn't seemed to have earned yet. 

He moved back, giving her space to maneuver while extending a hand to help her up the last step. She met his eyes curiously, crossing her arms across her chest. He smiled sheepishly under her appraising gaze.

"So, what have I done to deserve a visit from Paris's illustrious cat-boy?" she asked with a teasing warmth that made his heart stutter. It was difficult to reconcile her with his painfully shy friend.

"Just checking in on my Princess. I've heard some rumors that you've been having trouble waking up in the morning. I figured that might be because you aren't sleeping at night. I'm here to help." Chat gave a low bow, and Marinette snickered.

"Well, Chat. I'm not sure how you know about that, or why it even matters to you. But, putting your mildly stalkerish tendencies aside...lord knows I have some of my own...how do you intend to get me to go to sleep? My bed is a twin, and I'm not really that much of a cuddler." Chat felt his ears growing hot. "Also, I have a pattern to finish drawing out down there. It's for a commission. Due next week. So, unless you have roofies in that oddly expensive, designer gym bag, I'll be up for at least another two hours." Her eyes narrowed in challenge. 

"No roofies. But I have the next best thing." Chat unzipped his bag, pulling out a thermos. He handed it over, and reached back in for the pillow and blanket he had packed. He gestured to the lounge chair closest to her. "Sit." She raised her eyebrows, but humored him anyway. He slid the pillow behind her head and covered her with the blanket.

"So, what's in the thermos? Are you going to try to liquor me up so I'll pass out?" He chuckled lightly.

"Of course not. Hangovers do not make for happy mornings." He took back the container, unscrewing the lid and decanting a cup of the steaming liquid. "Chamomile and Lavender tea, with a little honey. It's my favorite. Super relaxing stuff."

"Why, how sweet of you. But, I'm still going to go finish my pattern once you leave." She smiled, sipping the tea.

"You will not. Also, I resent the notion that I shouldn't care about you not sleeping. You happen to be one of my favorite people, Princess. So, be quiet and let me do something nice for my friend." Marinette's expression shifted, and there was so much raw affection in her eyes that it shook him a little.

"Fine, then. Do your worst." She took another tentative sip of her tea. "By the way, you're right. This is really good." He smiled in response, pulling the last item out of his bag. She glanced at it, then at him. "You don't strike me as the 'Jane Eyre' type of guy."

"I'll have you know, it's one of my favorites. It always makes me feel warm, like coming home." She looked skeptical.

"Your home is a mildly codependent employee falling in love with her emotionally stunted boss who is hiding his sick wife in a secret room in his house?" She asked, and Chat couldn't respond to that. Except for the whole secret wife situation, it wasn't a far cry from his actual home.

"Close your eyes." He commanded gently. She did, a soft smile on her lips. "Ahem." He opened the book, flipping to the first chapter.

"There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further out-door exercise was now out of the question…" Adrien kept his voice soft and slow. After a few minutes, he noticed Marinette's breathing slowing to a deep, steady rhythm. Once he was sure she was asleep, he closed the book.

Before he could bring himself to leave, he tucked her in more securely, and left the whisper of a kiss on top of her head. He left the book on the table next to her, gathered up the thermos and the bag, and left his friend to get some well-deserved rest. 

Once he was home, he sent Marinette a text message from his civilian phone, asking if she had time to go over their Literature homework before school. He knew she wouldn't get it until morning, but he hoped getting a good night's sleep would help her be up early enough to make it. She was always willing to help people, so maybe appealing to her generous nature would be more kindly received than Kim's brute force.

The first thing Adrien did when his alarm went off the next morning was to check his phone. There was nothing yet. He was a little nervous that she wouldn't see it, so he contemplated calling. He quickly shrugged that off as too pushy, so he took his shower and got dressed while he waited. Once his hair was neatly arranged into its usual style, he checked again. Nothing. That's when he heard the explosion.

Sighing, Adrien grabbed his school bag and texted Nathalie that he had to meet a friend for a study session that he had forgotten about. He then slipped out the front door and ran for it. Once he'd made it a block away, he transformed and made a beeline for the school, which happened to be the site of the attack. It occurred to him how odd it was that Hawkmoth seemed so weirdly fixated on his particular classroom. Most of the akumas they had fought had been in some way connected to Françoise Dupont. He made a mental note to mention that to Ladybug, hopefully without clueing her in to his identity.

By the time Chat made it to the battle, Ladybug was already purifying the akuma. He sat himself on a bench, waiting for her to finish. After she called for her Miraculous Cure, she didn't turn around as expected, but darted across the empty courtyard (not even Alya was here this early). His eyes followed her, and just as he was about to call out to her, she disappeared behind a pillar. Then, to his shock, there was a flash of pink light, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng walked calmly toward the doors to her right, without ever seeing him there.

Chat was rooted to the spot. He had suspected her before. The clues were all there, but she had managed to throw him off. A smile grew on his face as he realized that his Lady, the girl of his dreams, was also one of his dearest friends. All the time that he had searched the faces of strangers, hoping to find her, she had been right there. And now that he had found her, he had a challenge to complete.

Once he was safely detransformed he strolled to the classroom at a leisurely pace. As he had hoped, Marinette sat in her usual seat, tapping away on her phone. She looked up as she heard him approach. 

"H-hey, Adrien. I was just sexy you-TEXTING you back. Sorry. Got caught in that akuma attack. We still have twenty minutes. Want to go over that homework?" He grinned.

"No problem, Mari. I'd love to. But first, I need to take a selfie with you." Marinette glared at him, just a tiny bit. 

"What makes you think you're the reason I'm here early?" She grumbled. "What if I didn't see your text till I was already here?" Adrien responded with a Cheshire grin.

"Just smile for the picture, Bugaboo." He said, kissing her on the cheek and snapping the photo. 

The resulting picture, depicting Marinette's horrified expression, was Adrien's wallpaper for six months."

OoooooO

Hello, everyone. Sorry this is so late, but it turned out a lot longer than expected. Stay healthy and thanks for reading!


	3. Adrien and Multimouse

There was something about Multimouse that had always captivated him. Maybe it was that she had actually been his Lady the whole time, maybe it was a cat thing. All he knew was that he would NEVER tell anyone, ever, the thoughts that he had had about Marinette and her cute little mouse tail. 

As someone who was objectified for a living, Adrien had always hoped that he would never be the kind of guy to lust after girls in a predatory way. But that was the instinct that drove this. He was a predator...in the Animal Planet sense. He was the holder of the Black Cat Miraculous, and she had been the Mouse. It was a biological impulse to chase her. 

Of course, he never acted on those thoughts. It would have been wrong. It would have jeopardized their friendship, and maybe even whatever fledgling romance they currently had. But, (no matter how cringey it made him feel) he sometimes wondered if she might take Mullo for a spin sometime, just so he COULD chase her. This was a part of him that he had never really known existed, but it had awoken in a sudden and surprising way when Marinette's transformation had dropped. He had never previously considered Marinette as a possible rival for Ladybug's place in his heart, or even for his extremely active imagination. After Kwamibuster, though, he began to notice her.

The first time he had noticed after Multimouse, her hair had come loose during their escapade with Kagami. She had been laughing, and it had utterly transformed her. She was radiantly, breathtakingly beautiful. How had he not realized that before? Second, of course, to the moment he fell in love with Ladybug, his heart had never been so firmly in anyone's grasp. Something had shifted, and he had almost convinced himself to pursue it, to pursue her. Then, when presented with the choice of which ice cream combination she would prefer (and, symbolically, which relationship configuration she might be interested in), she had chosen to leave. She removed herself from the equation. 

This had made Adrien unexpectedly sad. He hadn't wanted to hurt Kagami, but without Marinette's presence, the implied intimacy of eating Sweethearts' Ice Cream felt different than it had before. Orange and mint was an intense flavor combination, and Kagami had loved it. To Adrien, though, it was a bit like drinking orange juice right after brushing your teeth. 

He liked Kagami, but she had never sent lightning bolts into his soul like his Lady had, or like Mari had. Until her ruse after Kwamibuster, Adrien had been so sure that she was his Lady. When the pieces all came together, it felt like the most natural thing in the world that they were the same person. Maybe that was where it had truly started for him. He hadn't just been okay with the idea of Marinette being Ladybug. He had been thrilled. His heart had almost exploded with joy. 

He supposed the duality of his attraction toward her stemmed from their relationship to yin and yang. As Ladybug and Chat, she was in charge. She had always taken the more dominant role, and he loved that. As Adrien and Marinette, she happily allowed him to lead. As Chat and Mouse, that whole balance was upset, and he felt the urge to chase her, to toy with her, to catch her. He wasn't sure he was ready to consider what he would do with her if he actually did catch her, but it was an electrifying prospect nonetheless. 

OOOOO

Thanks for reading!


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